Marimba Madness

Appleton, Wis., at the moment has more mallets per capita than any other city on earth. (Be careful, up there in the Fox Valley; you can put an eye out with those things.)

This just in (Sunday night): Marimbist Jeff is blogging daily from the festival.

Lawrence University is hosting the Zeltsman Marimba Festival, which started June 28 and runs through July 11. Marimba players from all over are there for concerts, workshops and to hear lots and lots of new music for their mellow, charming instrument.

Here is Nancy Zeltsman, jazz and classical performer, chair of the percussion department at The Boston Conservatory and associate professor at the Berklee College of Music, and founder/director of the Zeltsman Festival:

You can find lots of times and dates for events by clicking on the link above. But I want to call special attention to the free concert set for 2 p.m. Sunday (July 5) at Lawrence's Stansbury Theater. (Pre-concert talk at 1 p.m.) New music doesn't get newer than this. Twenty-four -- count 'em! -- solos will be premiered on this one program.

Did you actually read all those names? Good for you, and yes, it's thatPaul Simon.

The hello-darkness-my-old-friend Paul Simon. Zeltsman has pulled off a remarkable project.

Again, lots of info at the link above, but just so it's handy: (920) 832-6614 (Lawrence University Music Office).

OK, now I'm hungry for marimba music. Here's an obsessive insider comparison of a notoriously difficult passage played by six different marimbists, including Zeltsman and fellow Appleton camper William Moersch: